The top staffer for state Sen. Chris McDaniel’s (R-MS) campaign who was part of the trio of McDaniel supporters that went to the Hinds County courthouse on election night wrote earlier in the night that the election would come down to Hinds County.
The staffer was McDaniel coalitions director Scott Brewster (pictured, bottom right), he is one of three people the Hinds County Sheriffs Department is investigating for getting into the courthouse, where the ballots are kept, after the building was closed late on election night.
“Going to come down to Hinds county. We will win the night but might be runoff,” Brewster wrote in one Facebook comment thread at 11:16 p.m. on Tuesday night.
In Tuesday’s GOP primary, Hinds County went for Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), who McDaniel is challenging, 65.7 percent to 33.8 percent.
The other two people who the sheriff’s office said were at the courthouse and got locked in were Central Mississippi Tea Party President Janis Lane and McDaniel supporter Rob Chambers. It’s unclear exactly when the trio went to the courthouse, but according to another county election official, who is related to Sen. Cochran, everyone had left the courthouse by 11:30 p.m. CT. One witness, a local Republican party official, told TPM Lane called at 2 a.m. to help her get out of the building.
“Friends, thank you for all your messages and support,” Brewster also posted on Facebook at 12:06 p.m. on Wednesday. “I didn’t get until 4 this morning. I’ll do my best to get back to everyone today. All of your encouragement has given our campaign family such positive energy. Thanks!!!”
(Photo credit: Facebook)
